Football



Dec. 5, 1944. 2,364,247

,J. W. SHEARER FOOTBALL Filed Deo. 20, 1943 //7 Ven for Jg# Mig/5:@

Patented Dec. 5, 1944 4UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `FOOTBALL y John W. Shearer, Memphis, Tenn.

Application December 20, 1943, Serial No. 514,923

9 Claims.

This invention relates to football bladders, especially those of the usual oval type for balls such as are now used in the American game of football, and particularly to means for establishing an axis of revolution in such a bladder, by means of which the rotation of the football when thrown with a rotary motion is steadied, and accurate passing facilitated.

The primary object of the invention `is to provide means for establishing an axis of rotation within the football, about which axis rotation of the'ball will be steadied and facilitated in flight, Where a rotary impulse is imparted to the ball in throwing `it, and particularly to establish in an oval ball an axis coincident with the longitudinal axis.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished, and the manner of their accomplishment, will readily be understood from the following' specification upon reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a football of typical type, showing my improvement applied thereto; and

Fig. 2 a corresponding transverse section of the ball.

Referring now to the drawing in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

II is the usual casing, as of leather, of an oval football of the well known type used in the American game of football, which encloses and protects a usual inflatable bladder I3. Disposed within the bladder I3 is a cylindrical balance member or core lI 5 which extends from end to end of the bladder and is integral with, or integrally attached at its ends thereto, the axis of the member coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the bladder and ball. The balance member is of resilient rubber and may be of such diameter that 'it will extend without material deviation from one end of the ball to the other thereof, yet is sufficiently flexible to collapse under end thrust and avoid injury to the players should they fall on the ball. Preferably it is of such length that the ends of the bladder are held slightly away from the ends of the casing until inflation of the bladder stretches the member to permit such con tact and thereby inherently straightens out the member.

The member I5 may be centered at its midpoint by resilient ties II extending radially to the bladder, and additionally also, if desired, by other groups of ties I9 and 2I, likewise radial, the ties being in any event integrated to both the member and the bladder to assist in steadying and centering the member, it being understood that the groups of ties may respectively each be a diaphragm of resilient rubber.

The ties are of such length, or the diaphragms of such diameter, that inflation of the bladder stretches and tensions them and thereby steadies the balancing member and adds centering effect thereto. The bladder is collapsible in usual manner and isinserted in the casing and inflated, in usual manner, and the ball is ready for usc The ball may be kicked or thrown, as heretofore, and if thrown with a spiral rotary motion, such as is common in passing the ball, the balancing member will act as an axis of revolution which will steady the ball and tend to maintain alinement of its longitudinal axis with the line of flight and greatly improve the resulting throw.

I claim: l

1. A football of circular cross section about a diametral axis, including a member of uniform cross section extending continuously along and from end to end of 'said axis to promote steadiness of rotation, said member being anchored at its ends to said ball. u

2. A football of circular cross section about a diametral axis, including a continuous cylindrical member extending concentrically along, and from end to end of said axis t-o promote steadiness of rotation, said member being anchored at its ends l to said ball.

3. A football of oval type and of circular cross section about its major dimetral axis, including a solid cylindrical member extending continuously from end to end thereof concentric with said major axis to promote steadiness of rotation, said member being anchored at its ends to said ball. f

4. A football of oval type and of circular cross section about its major axis, including a solid member of circular cross section extending continuously from end to end thereof concentric with said major axis to promote steadiness of rotation, said member being anchored at its ends to said ball.

5. A football of oval type and of circular cross section about its major axis, including a cylindriH cal member extending from end to end thereof concentric with said major axis to promote steadiness of rotation about said axis, said member being anchored at its ends to said ball; and symcircular in cross section about its major axis and including an usual inflatable bladder, means for promoting steadiness of rotation about said axis, including a continuous member of circular cross section concentric with said axis and anchored at its ends to said bladder, said member being initially shorter than the inflated length of said bladder.

7. In a football of usual oval type, substantially circular in crosssection .about itsrmaionaxis and, including an ,usual Linilatable bladder', ,means-l-for f promoting steadiness of rotation about said axis, including a cylindrical member of elastic mate.- rial, as rubber, concentric with said axis and anchored aty its ends to said bladder, said memberrfg being initially shorter than the inatedlengthoh said bladder.

8. In a football of usual oval type,. substantially' circular in cross section about its major axis and..

including an usual inatable bladder, means for promoting steadiness of rotation about said axis, including a member of elastic material, as rubber, and of circular cross section concentric with said axis and anchored at its ends to said bladder, and steadying means, of relatively minor cross section, intermediate the length of said member extending at right angles from said member to said bladder and secured to both thereof.

9. .A football .ofiusuaLoval type,,substantially circular inv` crosssection i about its longitudinal axis and including an usual inflatable bladder; means for promoting steadiness of rotation about said axis, including an elastic member of circular cross section, concentric with said axis and anchored at itsends to said bladder, said member beingA initiallyH shorter than the inflated axial leuzthrzofllsaidbmdder;

JOHN W. SHEARER... 

